Soldier, Poet, King

One

Eight years had passed since Liv had been born, and life was peaceful, or so they believed, Kjartan and his son Sven had taken the stronghold of Dunholm, and had their own men, and now they were coming for Ragnar the Fearless, as he had taken Sven's eye when he was a boy, for looking upon Thyra.

They had been preparing for Thyra's wedding, with Liv being more attached to her aunt than ever, even though she would only be across the field, as Sigrid smiled at her granddaughter, whose red hair was more unruly than ever, full of curls, and as bouncy as her personality. The night soon came, Uhtred and Brida had tucked their daughter in, before Brida had gone to watch the charcoal, as Uhtred followed after her.

Liv was asleep in her bed, before she was awoken by her aunt, who pulled her out of the great hall, and into the stables, on the order of Ragnar and Sigrid, where they were found by Sven, who looked at the redhaired girl, "You are Uhtred's daughter." He spoke, as she looked at him, "You are Sven." Liv retorted, as Sven barked out a laugh, as he bound their hands, before Kjartan walked over to them, as he moved a strand of red hair from Liv's face as he looked at her, "She will be a great warrior, she will be trained, and she will train with your brother." He said, as Sven nodded his head, knowing that his father would use her to hurt Ragnar the Younger, whilst also using her as a secret weapon.

Arriving at Dunholm, Thyra and Liv were seperated, with Thyra being taken to Sven's rooms, and Liv was thrown in the cells, as she looked at Kjartan, who looked back at the girl, "You will be a mighty shieldmaiden." He spoke, before he turned on his heel and left her alone, his son Sihtric Kjartanson, who was only a year older than Liv looked at her, "My name is Sihtric." He said, as she looked at him, "Liv." She said simply, not in the mood for pleasentries.

The following morning, Kjartan brought down a tunic and pants, which belonged to Sihtric, as he threw them at the girl, "You will change, and then you will train." He said, as she nodded, as she watched as he turned his back, as she quickly changed into the pants and tunic, before she was let out of her cell, and taken to the yard, where his men were training, as he threw her a training sword, before he made her and Sihtric spar, as they clashed swords.

Liv had some training with a sword, thanks to her father and grandfather, as she managed to trip Sihtric, as Kjartan smirked, he would turn her into a soldier. He would turn her into a killer. Make her name strike terror through the hearts of men.

"I remember when I could trip you, and you would fall for it." A now, 17 year old, Sihtric spoke, as a 16 year old Liv let out a laugh, "You wish." She said, as she ducked under his swing, as she tapped him on the back, before they watched as Sven returned on the back of a cart, as they placed their swords on the rack, before entering the great hall.

"Why would a dead horsemen ride with lepers? It was a trick!" Kjartan yelled at his son, before he looked at Fiske, "You will find the lepers, find the preist dead or otherwise." He told the man, who nodded his head, before Kjartan turned to face Sihtric, "You will go too. You will report back, is that clear?" He asked his son, who nodded, before he turned to face Liv, who was ripping strips of chicken off of the leg she held in her hands.

"You're staying here, we cannot risk you running off with your father, you will kill him should he attempt to take Dunholm." He told her, as she looked at him, "I know. It is what I am trained to do." She spoke, as she looked at him, as he nodded, "Go. See your aunt. See if you can get her to shut those hounds up." He told her, as she nodded, leaving for the cells, that now held her aunt, as she looked at her aunt, as she walked into the cell, pulling her into a hug.

"One day soon. I swear." Liv whispered, as Thyra nodded her head, "I know they believe us to be dead, but we know the truth, and we know they will not give up, they will build an army to take Dunholm." Liv whispered, as Thyra nodded her head, she knew that her niece spoke true, but she also knew that she felt abandoned, they both did.

How could they not? They believed that Uhtred, Ragnar and Brida had forsaken them, unaware that they didn't know they were alive, Brida and Uhtred both believed that their daughter had been slain that night along with Ragnar and Sigrid.

"I hope you are right." Thyra whispered, just as Sven came down, as Liv glared at him, "The hounds will shut up, when you leave her alone." Liv told him, glaring at him, which struck fear into his heart, as she smirked at him. Liv knew that Sven was frightened of her, the blue woad and her hair, as red as fire, he felt as though he was looking at a demon.

Sihtric had managed to gain Uhtred's trust, after swearing on Thor's hammer that his sword belonged to Uhtred, "Liv is alive. She was raised alongside me, we trained together, she's like my sister." Sihtric informed Uhtred, who looked at him, "My daughter is alive?" He asked, as Sihtric nodded his head, "She is. She is alive." Sihtric spoke, as Uhtred let out a laugh of joy, but his joy would soon be outweighed by his enslavement.